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In the mid-80's, the VAW community in an attempt to address soaring OPTEMPO and a shortage of pilots tried the NFO Copilot program, wherein 2nd tour LTs and LCDRs were taken through a FRS NATOPS syllabus and qualified to fly right seat for day/VMC ops off the boat...
"So Scribe, what was it like as a mole copilot?"
-SJS
Knowing how fond the Navy is of polishing anything made of metal, I thought many of you might be a wee bit impressed by the work of the folks at Superior Shine Detailing. No this is not a plug, just an observation of their fine work.
Besides, the President and founder of Superior shine, Joe Fernandez is a former Marine!
In 1986 I joined the U.S. Marine Corps where my love for cars continued. I detailed and repaired cars anywhere the Marine Corps sent me which includes Japan and Korea. I think I maybe the only person in Marine Corps history to get magazines like “Hot Rod” and “Car Craft” shipped to me out in the field.
A few years back I had the fortunate opportunity to be at the local airfield when what did my eyes spy? But a B-17 in the pattern!
That B-17 was “Fuddy Duddy” and I thought she was a beautiful bird then…
As you can see her, aluminum skin has taken on a bit of a patina after a few thousand flight hours. Wait till you see what Superior Shine has done to rectify that! Using over 50 pounds of polish and 600 man hours!
Before…
During…
After…
More images here [link].
If you need a plane shined maybe you might want to look into these guys? Polishing this war bird is evidently not their first big bird job, they also did “SAM 970” one of the 707’s used as Air Force One (now on display in Seattle).
5,156 victories (4797 by carrier-based F6F's) vs 270 lost in air-to-air combat (19.1:1 kill ratio);
305 Aces;
55 per cent of all aircraft destroyed by Navy/Marine aviators for all of WW2;
When WW2 began, the US fighter force (land- and sea-based) was woefully inadequate. Slow in speed and maneuvering, out powered in the climb, often times out-gunned and certainly outnumbered, the fighters that oversaw the US entry into the war were relics of an earlier age, even though most were relatively new production. P-40, F2A, F4F - even the vaunted P-38 all suffered various degrees of inadequacy. In the European Theater of Operations (ETO), the P-47 and ultimately the P-51 would rise to the top of the pile, asserting an ironclad air supremacy that knocked the Luftwaffe from its home skies. In the Pacific Theater - it was the Grumman F6F and specifically the F6F-3 and -5 models that gave the fast carrier task force its lethal offensive counter-air punch.
Continue reading "Flightdeck Friday: The F6F-3/-5 Hellcat - Scourge of the Pacific" »
Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day! And as you all know, no one deserves more appreciation than the Spouses of those who serve! We are all too familiar with the trial and tribulations of having a family in the military. TAIN’T EASY! And for the families that survive the test, high praise is oft due to the Spouse!
In 1984 President Reagan proclaimed the Friday before Mother's Day of each year to be Military Spouse Appreciation Day.
I know many Navy Wives who have had as much impact on my life growing up as a Navy Brat as had the Uniformed Heroes I looked up to…
These women Married a man, but in reality also married the Navy. There is a tradition in Navy Weddings of walking though raised swords of sidebouys with the final two sidebouys lowering their swords blocking the passage until the Bride and Groom kiss and seal the deal! The swords are raised and the couple is allowed to pass… except as the bride passes through the sidebouy on her side will promptly take his sword and SWAT the new Navy wife across the fanny with the proclamation “WELCOME TO THE NAVY MRS. SMITH!”
Yep, like it or not, she’s in the unpaid Navy! And those that embrace it succeed usually.
The women I listed above weren’t always thrilled with the life the Navy threw at them, but they always persevered, and made sure we all lived a good life!
For the times you've stood and watched a ship sail from the harbor, an aircraft disappear into the clouds, or a truck convoy pull out of sight, not sure when they would return, we thank you.
For the countless household moves you've made from a place you know to one that's strange and different -- often by yourself -- we thank you.
For the families you've held together, for the anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays you've celebrated alone, we thank you.
For the hand you've extended to another military spouse when the need was there, truly creating a military family, we thank you.
For the spirit and strength you've shown when your service member has gone into harm's way, we thank you.
For the pride you've displayed while serving as an ambassador of the military spouse to the rest of the world, we thank you.
I thank these ladies in specific here, but I thank all spouses of our Men and Women in Uniform for supporting and coping with the tough life defending this nation presents to all.
-Thank You!
-John Carmichael (JC)
Could be…
Over at War Bird Information Exchange they are all a glow abut the addition of two… that’s right! TWO! SU-27 Flankers to their fleet.
The two airplanes were delivered to Rockford, Illinois a few months ago, but we weren't able to announce it until now. More photos and details are available at PrideAircraft.com, on the "News" page.
Buck Wyndham
Warbird Instructor Pilot
Pride Aircraft
I’m not saying y’all shouldn’t go ahead and submit your flight resumes to these guys, but it sounds like they’ve got a few aviators already trained up in these birds:
The owners already have a small team of U.S. pilots checked out in the aircraft. The training was conducted in Ukraine. The owners and pilots prefer to remain anonymous right now. (No, Dale [Snodgrass] is not among them...)
First flights might be in the next two months.
We are extremely excited to have these beasts in our hangars. I'll post more shots on our website as time allows.
Current plans are for these birds to support ACM and Fam training for the Navy and the Junior Air Service.
I would expect to see these big beasts around the Fallon and Nellis ranges fairly soon.
(HT: Parrot Head Jeff)
The Naval Aviation Community is all to aware that smacking any of our fine feathered friends at anything over “On Speed” can be detrimental to ones health (certainly the bird’s) and at minimum can make flying an already inherently unstable Jet slightly more challenging than giving Ted Kennedy dancing lessons.
It is really disheartening for our buddies in the P-3 community when the damn things come up and smack them from behind!
For those that may need reminding. I provide for your digestion some poignant images of the effects of “Feather Blasting”!
And here’s one that had to be especially disturbing to the Co-Pilot of this next corporate jet…the squishy noise behind the CRT was felt more than heard!
Well after that brief reminder of what can happen when the effects of sudden deceleration trauma are shared between flyers, I give you a solution the US Air Force has come up with to help lessen the incidences of collisions, not just with birds, but well… with damn near anything. Certainly there will not be any Republicans getting in the way of this Trash Hauler!
Pretty sure I don’t want to see what’s on the aft cargo doors! Wasn’t Ms Pelosi the one who was all bent outta shape when certain Air Force buses planes were not made available to her and her entourage?
HT: Giorgio (for the idea)
General Curtis LeMay - SAC's second commander-in-chief
(1948-1957), is shown here
"[taking] a break for a cigar during flight operations aboard [the
aircraft carrier] the USS Midway ([CVA-41). General LeMay is on board,
along with 50 high-ranking NATO officials for a one day cruise designed
to portray the Sixth Fleet in action." (From photos released 1 May 2009 to the National Security Archives Project)
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